


The Ex Files

by Imzadi_Deanna



Series: Star Trek Bingo 2020 [4]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Bones is part of the X-files department and is an amalgamation of Mulder and Scully, F/F, Fem!Trek, Femslash, Genderbend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25950529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imzadi_Deanna/pseuds/Imzadi_Deanna
Summary: “Jim.” A voice spoke out from the doorway, both women turned, Lenora taking another step closer before her whole body tensed up.“Lenora, meet one of my farm hands.” Jim said, standing between them. “Hired her a few days ago, been a real big help. In fact she was just going to go feed the chickens, and I’ve got a lot of other farm related things to do so maybe you should just le-““That’s. That’s clearly an alien.” Lenora wasn’t born yesterday, thank you very much.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Series: Star Trek Bingo 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1882945
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38
Collections: Star Trek Bingo Summer 2020





	1. Chapter 1

Lenora’s beat up old Chevrolet flew down the dirt roads of Riverside, feeling like it 

was launching itself every time she went flying over a rock on the road, seatbelt pulling taut around her, stopping her from going flying as she pushed the speedometer higher, and higher. 

The loose papers that were spread around her car jumped around with the movements, slipping off seats and becoming tangled messes. Which was fine. She didn’t need the information off them anymore, she’d memorised all the files. 

The Grayson case finally had a new lead. The same rare metal detected in the atmosphere in this quaint little town.

Said quaint little town that was well known for it’s supposed alien encounters. Hell, even the board welcoming people had little alien caricatures on it, the peace signs over exaggerated on their grey forms. 

But that’s not why she was speeding. 

The others in her department may be spending their time questioning the locals, or searching the quarries. But she knew exactly where to go.

If anyone knew about alien activity in this town- it would be her ex, Jim. 

No matter how hard she denied it, Lenora knew for a fact that Jim was a magnet for alien activity. If there were indeed actual aliens, they no doubt would have zeroed in on the blonde bombshell of a woman. 

Her car jolted violently as she took a sharp turn, wheels briefly leaving the dusty road and kicking up a huge cloud once they landed. She didn’t have time. She couldn’t afford to slow down. The aliens had been in their atmosphere for over forty eight hours now, there's no way she was giving Jim any longer to hide whatever evidence there was to be found.

And there was no way she was letting Jim become the next Amanda Grayson. 

The Kirk farm house came into view, it’s ridiculously tall structure standing out like a sore thumb against the idealism country background, the red barn she had helped Jim build several years ago looking just as out of place next to it.

Her car groaned as she slammed on the breaks, coming to a sliding halt right at the front steps.

The front door slammed open in tandem with her car door shutting behind her, Jim appearing out of it with her shotgun at the ready.

Lenora put her hands in the air, she wasn’t stupid.

“Bones?” Jim finally recognised her as the dust cloud settled around them. “Why the hell are you driving up my lawn, like a bat outta hell, at six in the mornin’.” 

“I think you know why.” She said cryptically.

Jim rested her gun against the porch fence. “Couldn’t stay away from me huh?” She grinned down at her, using her hands to gesture to her body. “Y’know it’s polite to call ahead if you wanna dine in somewhere fancy.” 

Lenora’s face burned as she rolled her eyes, even months without contact hadn’t hardened her to Jim’s crass way of speaking.

“Not that.” She sputtered out. “You know why I’m actually here, so why don’t you just save me the time and hand over the alien.”

Jim paused. 

Lenora stared her down.

“Alien?” She finally said. “There’s no alien here. Just you and me, Bones.”

“You think I don’t know when you’re lying!” Lenora yelled out, pointing her finger at Jim. “I know you like I know the back of my hand. You can’t trick me, kid.”

Jim scoffed. “There’s no alien here. Where did you. I can’t believe you would accuse me of this. I am a simple farmer, tending my crops. Where would I even have time to find, let alone hide, a whole alien. Where would I even put their alien spacecraft? The barn?”

Lenora narrowed her eyes at Jim. “Never said nothing about their being a spacecraft.”

Jim looked guilty, Lenora would recognise the look anywhere. It was the same look she got when she used to eat the last of whatever treat Bones had bought herself but stashed in Jim’s fridge.

“If I go into that barn, is there going to be a spacecraft?”

“I would not say that there was a spacecraft in there.” Jim said. As if Lenora actually thought she’d answer truthfully.

Jim was technically faster than her, especially since Lenora was wearing a suit. But if she could get a big enough headstart she could probably make it.

“Jim.” A voice spoke out from the doorway, both women turned, Lenora taking another step closer before her whole body tensed up.

“Lenora, meet one of my farm hands.” Jim said, standing between them. Voice higher than before. “Hired her a few days ago, been a real big help. In fact, she was just going to go feed the chickens, and I’ve got a lot of other farm related things to do so maybe you should just le-“

“That’s. That’s clearly an alien.” Lenora wasn’t born yesterday, thank you very much. She’d recognise a damn alien, even if it looked mostly human and was wearing Jim’s tacky combination of shorts and a hoodie. 

“No.” Jim sounded offended, standing even closer to the alien. “This is my best employee.”

“Oh yeah? What’s her name, Jim.”

“Uh, uh it’s um.” Jim stumbled over her words.

“Spock.” Spock gently prompted, eyes never leaving Lenora.

“Spack” Jim garbled out.

“Speck?” Oh yeah, because that was definitely not an alien sounding name. Not at all. “Does Speck have a last name?”

“It’s Spock” Spock corrected, no inflection in her tone.

“Yeah. And it’s a -a a very human last name too.

“Spleck Human Last Name. Yes, very convincing.”

“Spock.” She interrupted again. “S’chn T’gai Spock, though I suppose with your human customs my full name is more equivalent to Spock Grayson”

Lenora screamed. Darting back to her car and grabbing out the stray bits of paper that littered the automobile. 

“Grayson. You’re an alien. Named Grayson.” She spat out, waving the paper around like crazy. Jim looked like she was fighting the urge to laugh. Or maybe scream, Lenora was too distracted by the life changing news to really focus.

“She’s not an alien. You can’t just go around accusing people of being aliens.”

“Oh, oh, yeah ok, sure.” Lenora continued to splutter out. “Don’t think I didn’t catch that whole ‘human customs’ thing.”

“She was fucking with you. She’s a real jokester.” Jim threw her arm around Spock’s shoulder, pulling her closer while also trying to shove her back towards the house. “Loves to joke around and say weird things.”

“I was not making a joke, Jim.” Lenora couldn’t tell if that was meant to be a joke. Her voice never changed from it’s monotonous inflection.

Lenora bounded up the steps, getting as close as she dared to the two of them.

“What’s going on here. And don’t try and lie to me again. I can smell bullshit from a mile away.”

“Considering you are on farm land, that is hardly surprising.” Spock said. Jim snorted, hand coming up to cover her mouth a second too late. Lenora glared at them. 

“You don’t look like a human.” She said instead, glaring at Spock. “There’s something off about you.”

“I am half human. On my mother's side.” Spock volunteered the information with ease.

“See, what a jokester.” Jim said loudly. “Always making jokes. Even when she should shut. Her. Mouth.” She said these last words with a wide eyed glare at the alien in her arms. 

“I have only made one joke so far, Jim. Yesterday, at seventeen hundred.” The fact that her voice was not changing in it’s inflections was driving Lenora up the wall. She practically threw herself up the porch steps. Standing as close as she dared.

“No gills.” Lenora looked at the alien's neck. “Skin’s not green, or grey.”

“Can you just stop it?” Jim hissed out, arm leaving Spock's shoulders, moving to stand in between Lenora and Spock.

“What about your hands?” Lenora reached out, fingers almost brushing against Spocks when she pulled them away, tucking them behind her back and moving behind Jim. “They look human enough, you got fingerprints?”

“Do not attempt to touch my hands.” She said, voice the same monotonous way as before.

“She doesn’t have any alien features.” Jim said, arms open as if to block Lenora from getting any closer. “She’s not an alien, Bones. You need to get new hobbies.”

“Oh, yeah, sure, ok.” Lenora didn't believe them for a second. She looked up and down at the alien Jim was trying to hide behind her body. “Then why is she wearing a beanie?”

“She’s wearing a beanie because she’s cold” Jim lied.

“It’s literally the middle of summer”

“It’s a fashion choice. Are you really going to lecture people on personal style. You’re wearing a suit, Bones.”

Lenora paused, looking down at herself. “It’s my uniform.” 

“It’s brown.” Jim said, as if that settled the matter.

She knew better, however. “Well, now I know you’re lying.” Lenora said, smugly. Leaning back and crossing her arms.

“Oh how?”

“Cause this is the same suit you left that drunk voicemail about.” Check fucking mate, Jim.

“W-what. No. It’s not.” Jim stumbled over her words, her own face going bright red.

“Yes it is, you said my shoulders were so fucking crisp in this thing that I could cut a man from twenty paces away. And that my thighs looked so strong you wanted to put your head between them and let me snap your neck.”

“I don’t believe I would have said this. That doesn’t sound like something I would say.” Jim continued to deny

“Drunk you is very nice to me. In fact, I have it saved on my answering machine.”

“Pretty sure that was mysteriously deleted.” All but outright confirming it was Jim who’d broken into her house several months ago. Typical.

“It was. But I have several copies of the tape hidden for that very mysterious reason.” Lenora wasn’t risking losing that voice message. She still played it when she was having a particularly bad day, even if they weren’t together anymore.

Jim’s face burned red. Spock moved her hand, curling a finger around Jim’s wrist.

The first flicker of emotion Lenora had seen crossed over her face. Her eyes snapped over to lenora. Leaving her feeling uneasy under her stare. She needed to change tactics, she wasn’t going to prove anything if she kept heading down this route. 

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll leave.” She said easily, turning around and missing the narrow eyed look Jim shot at her.

Stepping down the porch like she was just going to her car, very casual, not making any sudden movements until . . .

“Hey!” Jim yelled after her as Lenora took off towards the barn. She could hear Jim’s heavy footfalls behind her, gaining quick. But she had the advantage, she could reach it! She would reveal whatever they were hiding in the barn and th-

She was tackled to the ground, rolling a few times with the force. Jim, unfortunately, landed on top of her, trying to pin her down.

She’d been in this position a few times with Jim, however it had always been playful. Always ending when Lenora asked nicely enough- after Jim had gotten her share of tickles in, of course.

She often forgot that Jim was actually pretty fucking strong. 

“Where do you think you’re going, Bones.” Jim said menacingly on top of her.

“Nowhere, obviously, just thought I’d lay here for a while.” Lenora sassed, slapping her hands at Jim, not letting her grab them long enough to pin her down even more.

“Oh. Sure, sure, yeah.” Jim spat out as they fought. “That’s why you were runnin’ on my property.”

“Just taking a stroll before I got back in my car.” She yelled back, wiggling below Jim to try and shake her off. Fuck she was heavy.

Lenora noticed that Spock was calmly walking past where they were wrestling on the floor, ignoring Jim’s yelling and small move to stop her, before opening the barn doors, letting them roll open to reveal. . .

“A spacecraft. You are an alien!” She brought her leg up between them, using it to shove Jim off her and to the side, frantically wriggling until she could stand up and practically falling forward in her rush to get into the barn, suit covered in straw and other things she didn’t want to spend too long thinking about.

“No. That’s not a spacecraft in the shed. It’s a super broken down tractor.” Jim said in a last ditch effort, gesturing to the broken tractor in the corner.

“Don’t you sass me. That’s clearly a spacecraft, Jennifer!” Lenora yelled, frantically gesturing at the machine that was almost too big for the area. Its shiny, sleek design standing out like a sore thumb, completely out of place. If Lenora thought Jim’s house was weird, this thing made it look standard issue. “There’s no way that’s farm equipment. Who the fuck do ya’ think you’re foolin’.”

“Not you, obviously.” Jim was brushing herself off, standing next to the neutral looking, definitely an alien, Spock in the barn.

“So. Just so we’re all on the same page.” Lenora said with false sweetness. Knowing the huge smile on her face could be considered intimidating with how much teeth she was showing. “You, Miss Spock. Are an Alien. This. Is a spacecraft. You, Jim, are a lying liar who lies.”

“Yeah, that about covers it.” Jim agreed easily. “So what now, McCoy?”

The use of her last name shook her out of her triumphant glee. 

“What do you mean?”

“You cracked the code. Spock’s an alien who crash landed. Your boys are out looking for her. So. What now?”

Lenora didn’t know. She was at a loss for words. “Well. I. Obviously, next is. . .” She trailed off. Unsure. 

Spock broke the silence. Stepping towards Lenora. Raising her hand. Lenora flinched back, panic welling up. 

“The entrance is to the left of the second spiral.” Spock said, as if Lenora hadn’t made any movements. “It runs off of a radioactive material native to my home world. Most likely the same that your boys are tracking.”

Lenora’s head snapped over to the ship, lights coming on, noises reminding her of when her car would overheat and spew more smoke than a steam boat. It took her a moment to notice how it was now hovering over the ground. Her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her skull with how wide they were.

“S’how we got it in here.” Jim spoke up, arms folded and leaning back against the barn door. Lenora didn’t miss the fact that she was now blocking the exit.

“Tell me more.” She said instead, turning back to Spock.

The alien nodded at her, using her arm to point out different parts of the exterior and their use in interstellar space travel. The information was buzzing around in Lenora’s skull, the sheer distance that Spock had travelled being calculated in her mind and making her feel dizzy. 

Lenora shot off question after question, which Spock answered with ease. Jim piping in every now and then to make a comparison. 

“So that part’s where the engine blew out?” Lenora tried to clarify. The sheer size of the spacecraft made her dizzy as she looked up at the highest point.

“No.” Spock reached up, wrapping her fingers around Lenora’s wrist and moving it to the left slightly.

The hand gripping Lenora’s wrist tightened enough she could feel her bones grinding as spock froze up next to her. She tried to yank her wrist out of Spock’s grip. Unsuccessfully. 

“Spock?” Jim sounded concerned, walking closer.

Spock opened her hand enough that Lenora could slip her hand out of her grip, holding it tight to her chest and rubbing the abused area. What was that about?

Spock hadn't moved, hand still in the air as her chest expanded with a deep breath. The silence lasted until Spock snapped out of her daze.

She went straight back into answering Lenora’s question. “The top part also acts as a-” Spock cut off, body tensing again and arm lowering in a slow motion. The hoodie Jim had put her in growing green on the side.

“You’re injured.” Lenora said, worry buzzing through her, the doctor in her taking the front seat. She reached out to touch Spock, hoping to examine the wound.

Jim reached her first, wrapping her arms around Spock. Careful not to touch where the blood was staining the grey fabric. “She was injured in the crash, I patched her up, but.”

“You’re not a doctor.” Lenora finished for her. “Looks like you did a pretty shit job if she’s bleeding this much.”

“My vulcan physiology has already healed most of the damage. However the wound was deep. I would not allow Jim to use heat to seal it.”

“Heat?” Lenora splutttered out. “Jesus, Jim. What year do you think this is?”

“I’m not a doctor.” Jim sqwarked back at her. “She’s an alien, I don’t know what will work with her. She couldn’t even take the painkillers.”

“I do not need them, I am able to suppress-” Spock cut off with another small intake of breath. Leaning heavily against Jim. “-The pain.”

“Sure looks like it.” Lenora sassed. “I’m sure whatever patch job Doctor Jim here did on it ain’t helping you suppress that pain either.”

“Oh, bite me.” Jim glared at her, face burning red.

“Gross, I don’t know where you’ve been.” Lenora shot back easily, wincing after the fact. She was falling into old patterns so easily with Jim. It’d always been so easy with her.

Spock was looking back and forth between them, an almost curious expression on her face, as Jim continued to burn red.

“Alright, Ok.” Lenora floundered for a moment, Mesmorised by the green colouring. “Spock, I’m a doctor. Can I please look at your wound.”

Spock looked at Jim, as if seeking her opinion. Jim nodded her head.

Spock turned her head back to Lenora, giving her the same nod.

“Alright. You still have that first aid kit I gave you?” She asked.

“Yeah, it’s in the downstairs bathroom.”

“Bring her inside. I’ll go get it.” Before Jim could stop her she slipped past them, deliberately going around the back entrance of the house so they didn’t think she was trying to run. 

She threw the door open, hurrying through it to escape the alien eyes she knew were observing her every move. She could feel it like a prickling at the back of her skull.


	2. Chapter 2

“Did you use an actual stapler?” Lenora said in disgust as she looked at the wound.

“It was from her ship!” Jim argued back. Pressing a clean, damp cloth to the now stitched wound on Spock’s side, mopping up the blood as best she could. “Couldn’t exactly take her to the hospital now could I, Bones.”

“Right now it’s doctor to you.” She snapped at Jim, snatching the now green cloth. Using it to wipe the alien blood off her hands. “So much damn blood.”

“My heart is located where your liver would be, doctor.” Spock cut into the conversation. “That is why there is so much ‘damn blood’, as you say.” 

“Best be counting yourself lucky it didn’t actually hit your heart.” Lenora mumbled, feeling light headed as she ran her hands over Spock’s side, palpitating around whatever organs would be in her abdominal region. 

She’s not exactly sure what she expects. Even if Spock’s organs were retaining additional blood it’s not like she’d know what they were meant to feel like. The fact that Spock’s heart was where her liver should have been was a frightening enough find for her as it was. 

Sure explained why there had been so much blood coming out of her.

“There is no other injury to the organs in my abdominal area, Doctor.” Spock said, calm as ever. 

“I’ll be the judge of that, Miss spock.”

She stopped pressing her fingers into Spock’s abdominal, however. Watching colour bounce back into the taunt skin that covered obvious muscle. She wondered if that was an alien characteristic, or if spock was a lot stronger than she looked. She knew she had ridiculous strength in her hand at least, the nice bruise developing on her wrist was a testimony to that. 

She ran through her mental checklist as she ran her hands down one of spocks legs, pressing along the muscle, tracing down until she reached her foot where she pressed her thumb against the arch. Spock twitched her foot, but Lenora wasn’t going to let go, busy trying to keep count of the beats she could feel. It was a nice, strong pulse. A very good sign. 

She locked eyes with Spock, noticing the colour that was brightening on Spock’s cheeks. Another good sign, she hadn’t lost too much blood if that was still possible. Her heart might be beating too fast, but then again, that could also be normal.

“You ain’t bleed anywhere else?” 

“No, Doctor.” Spock said. “However there is a twinge in my trapezius muscle, on the right hand side.”

Lenora didn’t waste any more time, hand leaving Spock’s foot and reaching straight up to grab at her right shoulder, fingers pressing into the muscle and feeling along it.

“That hurt?” She couldn’t feel any knots or obvious tearing, Spock not reacting noticeably to her touch. Her face seemed to be darkening however. Lenora ran her hand up along the back of Spock’s neck, other hand coming up to feel along the other side of her spine. “Spock am I pressing too hard?”

“No, doctor.” She said, voice somehow more neutral sounding than before. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Next to them Jim snorted, before covering her mouth with her hand.

Her eyes darted back and forth between Spock and Jim. “Are you having me on?”

“I do not understand the meaning of that sentence, Doctor.”

“You are having me on.” She scowled at them, snatching her hands away as Jim laughed

“I’m injured too, Doctor.” Jim said with a grin, “Y’know, if you wanna pay me some special attention.”

“Lenora is busy touching me right now, Jim.” Spock spoke up before Len could give a sarcastic retort. Lenora became very aware of just how much of Spock’s skin she was touching, especially the hand she had on her inner thigh. It took all her will power not to jump away as embarrassment flooded through her.

She cleared her throat. “Alright, you’re all patched up. Shouldn’t be able to bleed through those stitches, at least not as much as before.”

“The increase in blood was due to my heart rate rising, I was unable to control my response adequately.” Spocks voice didn’t change, but Jim edged closer, all traces of playfulness gone from her face. “I should have adequate control now.”

“Talk ‘bout your spacecraft get you all excited, huh?” Lenora joked around. Uncomfortable for a completely different reason as Spock and Jim looked at each other in silence.

Jim turned, eyes darting up and down Lenora’s person. Making her feel like there was an itch under her skin.

“You sure know how to make an impression, Bones.” Jim finally said. Completely changing the topic. Obnoxiously big eyebrows drawn down in a frown. “Driving up like a bat outta hell. Yelling, storming my barn, patching up the local alien.”

“I’m sorry.” Lenora laced her voice with sarcasm. “I wasn’t aware I was about to actually meet a bonafide alien.”

“Jim made a worse impression.” Spock said simply. Stopping the fight before it could get louder.

“Yeah?”

“I can show you.” Spock raised her hands up towards Lenora’s temples, a look she thought could be determination crossing over her features- looking very much like the expression Jim makes when she’s made up her mind about something. 

Before she could say anything Spock's fingers were touching her face, her vision seemed to go out like a television that’d had it’s channel changed abruptly, she even felt like she could hear the static crackling as the vision before her changed.

  
  
  
  


_She was climbing out of her crashed starship, the wreckage smouldering around her. The field she had landed in was turned up, it’s topsoil sliced through, the crops flattened and now unusable charcoal._

_Her left eye wouldn’t open, a cool liquid sliding out it- her blood._

_“Who the fuck do you think you are.” It was Jennifer, standing in front of her just like she had been earlier that day, loaded shotgun pointed straight at her._

_She raised her hands, splaying her fingers in what she fundamentally understood to be the ta’al. Jim watched her, eyebrows furrowed, her face a mask of determined rage._

_But she slowly lowered the gun, looking at Spock . . . Lenora . . . No, Spock. With a now curious expression._

_She raised her own hand, trying to copy the gesture._

_Failing._

_She tried several times to make her fingers bend into the unnatural position before she huffed in frustration. Eyes darting back to spock, who hadn’t moved._

_Instead, Jim simply lowered all but two of her fingers. A peace sign. Jesus Christ, Jim._

_“Do you come in peace?”_

_Spock's vision went out._

  
  
  
  


Lenora threw her head back in a laugh. “My god. Jim. What a cliche.”

Jim was bright red next to them, arms crossed defensively over her chest. “I was panicking ok. I’ve never met an alien before.”

“It is of no consequence Jim, I found it endearing. And so did Bones.” That shut Lenora up.

Spock was watching her. Her black eyes seemed to be peering straight into her. Lenora grit her teeth, there was an accompanying twinge at the back of her head. Great, the last thing she needed was a migraine. 

“Jim, I find the temperature here unpleasant.” Spock didn’t break eye contact as she said this. “I would like to borrow another of your shirts, please.”

“ ‘course.” Jim said easily, standing up and offering her hand to Spock who took it without hesitation.

She refused to look at either of the women as they left the room, distracting herself with gathering up the tools they had used to stitch Spock back together.

It really was fascinating, not that Lenora would admit it with Jim in the room, Spock’s copper based blood. 

By all medical knowledge, it shouldn’t be possible for a large mammal to have copper based blood. It didn’t transport oxygen as well. Sure it was possible. But . . .

There were pieces of the puzzle she was missing. It itched at the back of her head, just like the migraine that was forming, which grew worse the harder she thought about Spock's physiology- sure the answer was right in front of her. 

She rubbed at her temples, feeling tired even though it was barely lunch time. 

She snatched her hands away from her face when she remembered there was still blood on them. Unsure what contamination could be passed on to her. Fuck, that was so stupid of her.

She jumped up and scrubbed her hands in the sink, once, twice, thrice, just to be sure. 

Her eyes caught the mess of green stained clothes on the floor. Maybe they should burn these?

She shook her head, that was a problem for later. And, most likely, not her problem at all. 

It’s not like she’s the one that was harbouring an alien. Just because Jim opened that particular can of worms- doesn’t mean she had to be the one to eat them.

Plus, a fire could attract her boys to investigate this seemingly idealistic farm. She always thought this place was too pretty to be true. Even if, before Spock came, it had been. 

She grabbed Jim’s towel, throwing it over the used clothes and picking everything up, being careful not to touch the blood again and carried it all to the laundry. She threw the clothes into the washing machine and called it a day. Leaving the room and the problem behind her. If Jim didn’t want alien blood staining her tiles she should have closed the wound better herself, dammit!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She could hear voices coming from outside. She walked out and joined them on the porch, taking a deep breath of the country air- so much crisper than she could get in the city.

“So what happened to the field?” Lenora questioned. If there had been any evidence of a crash landing her boys would have already been all over it. As it was she needed to check in soon, keep an eye on whatever they might have discovered.

The thought to report in her own findings not even crossing her mind.

“Oh, this was genius, Spock has a cloaking device. Hides her whole ship from detection.”

Lenora felt excitement thrum through her. “No way. That’s an actual thing?”

“Only partially. It was a gift from my betrothed. The Romulans have made remarkable progress in being able to hide.”

Lenora couldn’t help but poke, what was alien courtship even like? “Sounds like there's a bit of tension there?” She couldn’t help the dark tendril of satisfaction that thrummed through her at the thought that maybe her and Jim _weren’t_ together, like she had started to assume.

“That is an accurate description.” Spock admitted. Oh damn, she was going to learn about some alien drama. That didn’t happen everyday. “My betrothed, he was the descendant of Tellus followers. A faction of Vulcans who split from my planet many years ago. It was hoped that within bonding select individuals, our cultures could begin to re-emerge, forming a strong united front against our joint enemies.

“My father spent many months negotiating with his clan. Fighting to get me betrothed to their heir. It is considered a great insult that I broke the bond.”

“Daddy wasn’t happy about that I’m sure.”

“No. He is not.” Spock said quietly, eyes shutting briefly. “However, I would not have been able to make my escape if he had not made sure the starships were unguarded. I must conclude that he approved of my actions. Even if he was not able to say as much.”

“So, what now, you’ve doomed your species to continue the war?” Spock’s eyes sharpened, the pupils bones had barely been able to see changing to pin pricks as she stared Lenora down.

It was the first time that she had felt she was in danger. As she began to panic, Jim leaned forward, wrapping an arm around Spock’s waist and pressing a kiss to her hair.

The tension that had enveloped them snapped. 

“Ours was not the only bond. There are several others who have already joined, and others that will be joined.” She said, rigid posture relaxing into Jim. “While my decision will have consequences. I would not make a choice that would result in the death of my species.”

“You just didn’t like the idea of being forced into a marriage. Especially if there were others who were more willing.” Lenora summarised. Feeling bad about the accusation she had thrown around.

“I failed to see the logic in it.” Spock agreed. “So I left. My father did the same many years ago. It’s how he found his soul bonded.”

“Just like that. Grabbed the nearest spacecraft and sailed away. Did you also pick a random star?” Lenora interrupted. A part of her itching to pick a fight. It was irrational, she knew this. But there was something about Spock, her words feeling like they were crawling under her skin, burying themselves deep in her bones. It made her feel like running. It made her feel like she had to scream.

After she said this Spock locked her eyes with hers again. The migraine that had been simmering flared brightly behind her eyes as spock reached out with her hand, locking around Lenora’s ankle.

She scrunched her eyes shut, garbled words flashing behind her eyelids, too fast for her to even begin to make sense of. A feeling of deep hurt welling up deep within her chest. It didn’t make sense. It was too much. 

“Really not sure what I’m gonna do about the land.” Jim’s voice brought her back to the moment. The feeling snapping away as her eyes snapped back open. “It’s not that deep but the grounds irradiated.

“I will fix it, _Ashayam_.” Spock rushed to reassure. 

**Beloved**

It was startling for Lenora to realise that she understood the word, could feel the emotion in spock’s voice now, and could read her expression as easily as if she was fully human. It must have been from spock touching her, a transference. Lenora didn’t have all the words to describe it. Unable to even begin deciphering the other words swirling through her mind.

She did, upsettingly, have the knowledge to understand what Spock had just called Jim. She pulled her leg away from Spock's hand. She swallowed around the lump of emotion that had lodged itself in her throat, forcing herself to speak neutrally. “Could my boys be tracking that? we’ve had spots all over the town.” Jim was making a good call, getting them back to safer topics of conversation. The thought of Jim and Spock somehow being in love already making her feel dizzy with jealousy.

“Impossible, the device would be shielding any trace.” Jim said confidently.

Lenora wasn’t so sure. “You should take care of it real soon, the FBI is tracking the radiation signature, it won’t be long until they find this place.”

“As long as it functions and no one tries to enter the field. Your humans will not be able to trace it.” Spock reassured, her eyes and words turned to Lenora now. She felt like her heart was racing in her chest, Spock's eyes feeling like they could pierce all the way down to her soul. Like she could see the jealousy that was rolling out of her in waves. 

Lenora looked away first. 

“What made you come here, Bones.” Jim asked. “There’s no way you were tracking the radiation.”

“If anyone knew what was going on, it’d be you.” She shrugged, as if that explained everything. Spock was still looking at her when Lenora dared to look at her out of the corner of her eye.

“She wanted an excuse to see you, Jim.” Spock revealed the truth like one would remark about the look of the sky. 

‘Yeah?” Jim seemed shocked, looking over at Lenora with a puzzling look on her face. She wanted the attention off her. Embarrassed about being called out so easily.

Jim looked back over at spock, the look in their eyes telling Lenora that they were communicating. Or maybe that was just something she could recognize now. She’d have to run scans on herself back at her lab, discreetly of course. 

She wondered if that was the result of Jim letting spock into her own mind. She refused to let herself wonder what it would be like if she went into Jim’s mind, that way lay only heartache. 

“Why are you here?” Lenora finally asked, struggling to think of anything else. “What does this have to do with the Grayson case. And don’t you dare try and say it has nothing to do with it. You already revealed that she’s your mother.”

“Then I think it is fairly easy for you to assume my reason for being here, Lenora.” Spock turned to face her, a serious look on her already permanently serious face. “I am here for the same reason as my father was.”

Lenora felt like death had run a cold finger down her spine. The disappearance of Amanda Greyson flashing behind her eyes. “If you think for one second that I’m gonna-“

“To find my soul bonds.” Spock finished. As if Lenora had never begun talking.

“Soul bonds?” Plural?

“Yes.” Spock answered the question. “I have already located one of them, in Jim.” She raised two fingers, Jim meeting them with her own. A tender look on her face.

She used to look at Lenora like that. 

“Shoulda known you’d be into banging aliens.” Lenora grumbled, unable to look at the display any longer. Jim’s spluttering like background music as she took in the rolling hills that surrounded them. Trying to focus on her breathing instead of the emotion that wanted to burst out of her like a firecracker.

Sitting on the porch had always been her favourite part of hanging out at Jim’s.

“Oh. I’m sorry. Are you saying you’d be immune to a pretty alien coming up to you and being all _‘I believe you are the soul bond I have been searching my whole life for.’_ You're gonna pretend you wouldn’t just absolutely fall head over heels for her? Grow the fuck up, Bones.” Jim said all in one breath, face burning. 

“I’m just saying I’m not surprised, is all.” Lenora continued to tease, trying to ignore the ache in her chest. “Wait, so, Jim’s only one part. There’s more of your soul bond thing out there.” 

“Yes. One more part.”

Lenora felt anger rush up through her. Clinging onto it so she didn’t get lost in the sensation of helplessness that had begun to flow through her. Or the small thread of hope. “That’s pretty damn selfish if you ask me.”

“Bones.” Jim chided her. 

“No. No don’t you _‘Bones’_ me.” Lenora pointed at Jim before looking back over at spock and jabbing her in the chest with the same finger. “Jim is perfect, she’s a catch. What makes you so selfish as to think you need more than her in your life. You’re damn lucky to have her at all.”

“Just like you were.” Spock finished the unspoken thought.

“I-“ Lenora felt like she had managed to put her foot all the way down to her stomach, how fucking pathetic could she get, basically mooning over her ex to said ex’s new lover.

No, Y’know what. She’d finish that thought. “Yeah, like I was. Jim’s the best and you damn well better appreciate her. Going around thinking you need more than her. You’re in for a world of disappointment.”

“Bones,” Jim looked both embarrassed and extremely pleased.

“Fret not, Lenora.” Spock said simply. “There is only one other piece missing from our soul bond. And I have already located her.”

“Oh.” Does that mean they were leaving? To find whoever this lucky person was. The anger was leaving her as fast as it had come, leaving her feeling hollow. She wanted to leave. Their obvious happiness leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

But how long would she be allowed to see them, if she left now- would she see them again?

“We do not need to go anywhere.” She ripped her handout of Spock’s grasp, realising too late she had been broadcasting all her thoughts since the conversation started. “You are our other, Lenora.”

She could feel her brain grind to a halt, unable to stop the blush that rose on her face, making it feel like it was on fire. “I, oh. Well. Um. That’s. I-”

“Oh look at that,” Jim said, much too smug. Interrupting her rambling. “A cute girl tells you you’re her other half and what do you do? You blush and get all flattered. Looks like I’m not the only one into aliens.”

“A fact I am very pleased about.” Spock admitted. She reached out, two fingers extended. Lenora felt like she could hear how hard her heart was beating in her ears. Spock must have transferred her the meaning of this as well. The ozh’esta. But she had to be sure.

“What does this mean.” She felt herself let out in a whisper, fingers reaching up and trailing delicately over Spocks in the correct reciprocation. She felt like there was a line of electricity running up her wrist, originating in her fingers tips and settling deep within her chest.

“It’s her version of this.” Jim spoke up, leaning down and pressing her lips just as gently to Lenora’s. The same sensations shot through her, from her lips to her heart, binding with the sensation of Spock and making her feel like her heart was full to burst.

“You gotta give her the line, Spock.” Jim said as she pulled away, excitement in her voice.

Lenora knew exactly what Spock was going to say, her heart feeling like it was going to burst out of her chest as they locked eyes.

“You are our missing piece, Lenora. My soul calls out to you. I would be honoured if yours would reach back.”

She felt tears sting at her eyes, her face scrunching up as she nodded her head. Unable to find words but knowing she was broadcasting all her emotions to them anyway. This definitely isn’t what she expected when she was driving like mad up Jim’s driveway. But she’d take it. She’d keep this safe, and secret, forever. 

No matter the cost


End file.
